Belly Woman: Birth, Blood & Ebola: The Untold Story

By Benjamin Black

Winner of the Moore Prize for Human Rights Writing in 2023
"This book will stay with me for years." ADAM KAY, author of This is Going to Hurt
"Black puts a human and profoundly humane face on what it's like to be a doctor." FORBES
"A brilliant, painful and honest book. Read it." MARY HARPER, BBC Africa Editor
"Benjamin Black has the most amazing gift for telling a story. I could not put the book down." VICTORIA MACDONALD, Channel 4 News
Courage meets crisis in a doctor's extraordinary true account on the frontlines of maternal healthcare during a deadly epidemic in Sierra Leone.
In May 2014, as the country grapples with the highest maternal mortality rate globally, a new, invisible threat emerges: Ebola.
Dr. Benjamin Black finds himself at the centre of the outbreak. From the life-and-death decisions on the maternity ward to moral dilemmas in the Ebola Treatment Centers, every moment is a crossroads where a single choice could tip the balance between survival and catastrophe. The tension is palpable, and the stakes are unimaginably high. One mistake, one error of judgment, could spell disaster.
Belly Woman is a powerful piece of reportage and advocacy that draws parallels between two global outbreaks of infectious diseases: Ebola and COVID-19. Black's firsthand experience on the frontlines of a global health crisis bears witness to the raw emotions, tough decisions, such as the need to carry out medically-mandated abortions to save lives, and the unwavering dedication that defines the lives of those who step up when the world needs them most.
Compelling for readers with an interest in medical memoirs, social justice, and humanitarianism, as well as healthcare professionals and maternal health caregivers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Neem Tree Press
• Release date: Oct 18, 2022
• ISBN: 9781911107583

Benjamin Black

Dr Benjamin Black is a descendent of Iranian, Jewish, and British roots. His family heritage of persecution and forced migration led him to a career in medical humanitarian relief. He is a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist based in London and a specialist advisor to international aid organisations, including Médecins Sans Frontières, government departments, academic institutions, and UN bodies. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic he provided frontline healthcare to pregnant women and supported the development of international guidelines. Benjamin teaches medical teams around the world on improving sexual and reproductive health care to the most vulnerable people in the most challenging of environments.